Editorial: Korean War has much significance

Friday

Jun 25, 2010 at 12:01 AMJun 25, 2010 at 8:23 PM

Sixty years ago today, the Korean War began. Often referred to as the “forgotten war,” there are 36,574 reasons why it shouldn’t be. That is the number of American servicemen who died in the conflict that lasted until July 27, 1953 — although officially North Korea remains “at war” with the United States, having never agreed to its ending.

Sixty years ago today, the Korean War began. Often referred to as the “forgotten war,” there are 36,574 reasons why it shouldn’t be. That is the number of American servicemen who died in the conflict that lasted until July 27, 1953 — although officially North Korea remains “at war” with the United States, having never agreed to its ending.

There are tens of thousands of other reasons why this conflict shouldn’t be labeled as “forgotten.” They are the veterans of this war, now many of them in their late 70s and 80s, not to mention the hundreds of thousands of sons and daughters of those who fought.

And, it also is worth remembering that 8,027 American GIs remain missing.

So, this morning we remember and pay tribute to those brave men and women who served with distinction, and offer our thanks to them for their service and sacrifice.

And in doing so, we’d also like to put a perspective on that war, and its importance in world history.

The Korean War came just five years after the end of the World War II, and in the midst of the Cold War and the spread of communism throughout Eastern Europe and Asia.

Stopping the spread of communism into South Korea was in fact the first building block of containment.

As the late military historian and Korean War veteran Harry Summers wrote, “The Korean War was one of the most significant wars of the 20th century. It marked the acknowledgment by the Kremlin that communism could no longer be spread by direct force of arms as it had been across Eastern Europe in the closing days of World War II.”

The Korean War also saw the introduction of MASH units, the introduction of submarines in an unique role of naval warfare and when jet fighters and their pilots became of age.